MGMA sent a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, regarding the major payment disruptions medical practices are experiencing as a result of the transition to the HIPAA Version 5010 electronic transactions standard on Jan. 1. Along with examples of problems practices have been having with Version 5010, the Association recommended steps for the government to take to solve them. In the letter, president and CEO Susan Turney warned, “should the government not take the necessary steps, many practices face significantly delayed revenue, operational difficulties, a reduced ability to treat patients, staff layoffs, or even the prospect of closing their practices.” Is your practice experiencing payment issues from payers due to 5010? If so, the problem could be stemming from the payer or from your clearinghouse. Contact Harmony Healthcare IT to help troubleshoot the issues so you can get a straight answer. Harmony provides technology support for medical practices.